Toddler found underwater in pool rushed to Modesto hospital

Police, fire and medical personnel responded Friday morning to a report of a toddler's near drowning in Modesto.

The 911 call occurred at about 10:40 a.m., said Modesto Fire Department spokeswoman Jessica Smart. Units were dispatched to the 400 block of Redford Lane, in a neighborhood just behind the Target store at McHenry and Standiford avenues.

A 2-year-old boy was removed from a pool after having been underwater for about five minutes, said Modesto Fire Battalion Chief Randy Anderson. Firefighters first on scene began CPR, which continued in an ambulance en route to Doctors Medical Center.

Police got word from the hospital that the child was breathing.

The pool is fenced, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear, but apparently the gate was ajar. Family members were working in the yard when they noticed the child wasn't in sight, she said. They found the little boy underwater in the pool.

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance offers the following advice:

Never leave a child unattended near water in a pool, tub, bucket or ocean. There is no substitute for adult supervision.

Designate a "water watcher" to maintain constant watch over children in the pool during gatherings.

The home should be isolated from the pool with a fence at least 60 inches tall, with a self-closing, self-latching gate. The gate should open away from the pool, and should never be propped open.

Doors and windows should be alarmed to alert adults when opened. Doors should be self-closing and self-latching.

Power-operated pool safety covers are the most convenient and efficient. Solar/floating pool covers are not safety devices.

Keep a phone at poolside so you never have to leave the pool to answer the phone, and can call for help if needed.